The Year in Sneakers: Nike’s SNKRS Report
Nike’s newly released annual SNKRS report offers a sharp retrospective on the past year’s most coveted sneaker drops. For 2025, a single thread connects the season’s most in-demand releases: basketball. The Swoosh’s legacy on the hardwood remains unassailable, with iconic player-endorsed silhouettes—from Air Jordans to Kevin Durants—reasserting Nike’s cultural and commercial dominance both courtside and on the streets.
Basketball Culture’s Blockbuster Return
Last year, basketball culture experienced a dynamic resurgence. Celebrity sightings at games, fairytale playoff runs, and an explosion of bold, personal style converged to reignite the public imagination—and, unmistakably, their wallets. The sport’s gravitational pull was impossible to ignore at retail: six Air Jordan models landed among the year’s most coveted releases, with four securing top-five spots.
Yet, in a twist, the legendary Air Jordan 1—celebrating its 40th anniversary—was notably absent from the list. Instead, the top honor belonged to the AJ11 “Gamma,” which returned in December to clinch the number one rank in true buzzer-beater fashion.
Icons and Collaborations Define the Year
While Jordans continue their tenure as perennial favorites, Kobe Bryant’s influence resonated powerfully, with three Kobe Protro models making the cut. The audacious “What The” Kobe 8 Protro claimed fourth place, striking a chord between nostalgia and forward-thinking design. Elsewhere, the “Galaxy” Air Foamposite captured the exuberant spirit of its 2012 debut, while a collaborative Jumpman Jack from Jordan Brand and Travis Scott completed the top ten—demonstrating Nike’s cross-generational appeal.
Nostalgia Drives the Market
Strikingly, six of the year’s top ten sneakers were re-releases, underscoring the 2010s as fertile ground for the industry’s ongoing revivalist wave. Nike’s embrace of nostalgia isn’t slowing—a signal, perhaps, of the brand’s direction as 2026 approaches. This turn toward the familiar suggests that the brand remains attuned to the tastes of both longtime sneakerheads and new fans seeking cultural touchstones.
Looking Forward: Anticipated Releases
With excitement mounting for the upcoming Swarovski x Air Jordan 1 collaboration, slated to drop this spring, Nike shows no signs of easing its sneaker momentum. For a closer look at these landmark releases, explore the full gallery at Hypebae.
